Method for carding fibers



Mardi 19, 1968 J. u. BESSETT ETAL 3,373,461

METHOD FOR CARDING FIBERS 4 Sheets-Sheet l Filed Nov. 6, 1964 E www @manm T 5 N E DNA ma; O vo, ma 1 A l HO ,/l wmp/,0 if Jew Mardi 19, 1968 J.u. BESSETTE vETAL 3,373,461

METHOD FOR CARDING FIBERS Filed Nov. 6, 1964 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 .4 7'TOR/VE YS March 19, 1968 .1. U. BESSETTE ETAL 3,373,461

METHOD FOR CARDING FIBERS March 19, 1968 J. u. BESSETTE ETAL 3,373,461

METHOD` FOR CARDIN@ FIBERS Filed Nov. 6, 1964 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 UnitedStates Patent O 3,373,461 METHOD FOR CARDING FIBERS Joseph U. Bessette,Manchester, and Joseph A. Priestley, Golfstown, N.H., and Heath 0.Kennette, Plainfield, NJ., assignors to Johnson & Johnson, a corporationof New Jersey.

Filed Nov. 6, 1964, Ser. No. 409,419 4 Claims. (Cl. 19-98) ABSTRACT OFTHE DISCLGSURE An improved process for carding textile fibers on a fiattop card, wherein, the teeth of the flats have embedded between thewires fiy and waste material, whereby, the amount of waste materialproduced in the carding operation is greatly reduced.

This invention relates to revolving flat cards and more particularly tomethods of carding with revolving flats so as to retain the utilizableportion of the staple fiber in the worked material and in the resultantcardedvfibrous web.

In the usual process of carding with revolving fiat cards, wastematerial is taken off continuously by the fiats and the liatscontinuously stripped by a stripper roll and comb mechanism locatedabove the dofiing cylinder and operating just after the flats havebroken contact with the main card cylinder. The lead flats after beingstripped are returned to the back of the main card -cylinder forsubsequent carding. It is a well-known fact that the discarded fiatstrips continuously taken from the flats contain a certain amount ofgood stock and generally it is the case that in standard cardingprocedures, there is no known method for separating this good stock fromactual waste, which is in reality a'll that the carding process shouldremove from the cotton for the greatest efiiciency.

lt is the purpose of the present invention to improve the carding actionof revolving flat cards, as well as improve the leveling action of thecard; i.e., improve the uniform distribution of short and long fibers ina carded fibrous web. Furthermore, it is the purpose of the presentinvention to greatly reduce the waste material occurring from thecarding of fibers.

In accordance with the present invention, the carding of staple textilefibers is improved by feeding the fibers to be carded to a rotatablecarding surface having metallic clothing and moving at an increasedllinear speed over that normally used in carding operations. Thisperipheral linear speed should be from about 2350 feet per minute toabout 4050 feet per minute. While the fibers are on this rotatablecarding surface, carding action is imparted to the fibers by revolvingfiats. The flats are preferably covered with fillet card clothing withthe wires of the clothing bent t impart carding action to the fibers.The revolving fiats have embedded between these wires fly and minutewaste particles so that carding action is substantially only imparted tothe fibers by the points of the wires. The revolving fiats move in thesame direction as the rotatable carding surface but at a much slowerspeed. The carded fibers are then removed from the rotatable cardingsurface in the form of a uniform loose fibrous web by standard dofiingtechniques, such as doffing cylinder and dofiing comb mechanism.

If desired, the thus carded web may be further treated by passing itthrough a pressure-applying means in order to facilitate the removal ofany trash or waste particles which have inadvertently been caught in theweb. Generally, such pressure-applying means simply comprises a pair ofrolls which crushes hard trash particles in the web as the web is passedbetween these pressure rolls.

The method of the present invention is especially 3,373,461 PatentedMar. 19, 1968 ICC adaptable to tandem or double carding of fibrousmaterials wherein fibers to be carded are fed to a first or breaker card.and then to a second or finisher card and if desired, to further cardsand the fibers given a multiple carding action. All of the advantagesand improvements of the present invention with respect to a singlecarding operation are equally true with a tandem carding operation.

In the tandem carding operation the main carding cylinders of thebreaker and finisher cards travel at a peripheral linear speed of fromabout 2350 feet per minute to 4050 feet per minute. The revolving cardfiats cooperating with at least one of these surfaces has fillet-clothedflats, the wire of the clothing being bent to impart carding action tothe fibers. Embedded between the Wires of the fiats at least up to themid-portions of the wires and preferably further are fiy and minutewaste particles. The flats move in the same direction as the rotatablecarding surface (main cylinder) but at a much slower speed to impartcarding action to the fibers. Such revolving fiats may be used on boththe breaker and finisher cards or on just the breaker card or just thefinisher card as desired. When used on both the breaker and finishercards, the amount of waste is greatly reduced, and in most instances itis not necessary to pass the carded fibrous web produced by the doublecarding operation through .a pressure-applying means to crush any loosetrash or other waste particles which may inadvertently have beenretained by the brous web. It appears that the tandem carding techniquegreatly reduces the possibility of any trash inadvertently getting intothe final carded fibrous web.

The method of carding of the present invention whether used with asingle or tandem carding operation improves the leveling action of thecarding operation. It also gives improved carding due to the pressuringeffect of the material which is embedded in the flats causing the fibersbeing carded to be worked nearer the points of the fiat wire allowingthe cylinder to do a better job of carding right down to the individualfibers. The method of carding of the present invention also improves theefiiciency of carding in that it reduces the amount of waste in thecarding operations and provides a method whereby substantially all ofthe good cotton stock is removed from the actual trash or waste materialand very few good textile fibers are discarded.

Although the invention is of particular importance with regard to thecarding of cotton fibers and said cotton fibers will be referred to moreparticularly in the following description of the inventive concept, itis to be appreciated that such is merely illustrative and thatsubstantially any other type of staple fiber may be used. Representativeexamples of such other types of fibers are rayon, nylon, ete.

Suitable fibers for use with the present invention are cardable textilefibers of a length which may vary from about 'Vs inch up to about 21/2inches or more depending upon the particular properties andcharacteristics required or desired in the ultimate fibrous product.

The invention will be more fully understood from the description whichfollows taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in whichthere are illustrated preferred designs of machines and modes ofoperation embodying the invention. It is to be understood, however, thatthe invention is not to be considered limited to the constructions ormodes of operation disclosed except as determined by the scope of theappended claims.

In the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a simplified fragmentary schematic view in side elevationshowing the general principles of the apparatus in operation of oneembodiment of the present invention with some minor conventionalelements omitted for purposes of clarity;

FIG. 2 is a simplified fragmentary schematic view in side elevationshowing a modification of the apparatus illustrated in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a simplified fragmentary schematic View in side elevationshowing the general principles of apparatus in operation of anembodiment of the present invention in use with a tandem cardingoperation, though two cards are shown in this drawing, it is to beappreciated that virtually any number of cards may be placed in tandem;

FIG. 4 is an enlarged plan view of a portion of the flats of the cardingmachine of FIG. l; and

FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 5 5 of FIG. 4.

Like numbers are used to represent like parts in FIGS. 1 and 2.

In the embodiment of the invention illustrated in FIG. 1 of thedrawings, a single textile carding machine is used. It comprises a firm,rigid frame 11 upon which are mounted the operating elements of thecard. As shown, the

fibrous material to be fed to the card machine is a picker lap 12 whichis a continuous considerably compressed sheet of fibrous tufts rolledunder pressure into a substantially cylindrical package. Other sourcesof fibrous materials may be used instead of the picker lap. For example,the fibers may be fed down a chute from a hopper by air means or otherdevices.

A rotatable lap roll 13 supports the picker lap and slowly unwinds it tofeed the fibrous sheet separated from the lap over a fiat, smoothlypolished feed plate 14 and under a rotatable tinted steel feed roll 15.At the front end of the feed roll the fibers are presented to acylindrical licker-in 16 mounted on a shaft rotating in bearings mountedin the card frame. The peripheral surface linear speed of the licker-inmay be adjusted as desired; however, it is preferred that the licker-inrotate at a somewhat faster speed than normally used in conventionalcarding operations. For example, the diameter of the licker-in cylinderis generally about 9 inches, and speeds from about 500 r.p.m. to 900r.p.m. or higher have been found suitable with such licker-ins.Preferably using a 9 inch diameter licker-in, speeds of between 650 rpm.and 750 r.p.m. are preferred. The licker-in consists of a hollow rollringed with spiral grooves. Into these grooves a wire with sharp teethsomewhat like a fine jigsaw is inserted. These teeth catch the fibersfrom the picker lap, carry them around the peripheral surface of thelicker-in, and feed them to the main card cylinder I7 mounted on a shaftrotating in bearings provided in the card frame.

Other standard operating portions and elements of the feed works of acard machine such as the mote knives, the licker-in cover, and thelicker-in screen are conventional and have been omitted for purposes ofclarity. However, fiber retrievers or other special attachments orscreens may be used if desired. In a similar way, several conventionalelements which cooperate with the main card cylinder, such as the maincylinder screen, etc., have been omitted from the drawings.

The main cylinder itself is covered by metallic card clothing 1S. Theexact number of points on the main card cylinder differ with the varioustypes of clothing and the width of the cylinders may also differ. It ispreferred that fine metallic clothing, i.e., about 500 or more teeth persquare inch be used. Generally, the main cylinder has a width of fromabout 40 to 45 inches and a diameter of about 50 inches. The cardclothing on the cylinder takes the fibers off the licker-in andindividualizes the fibers due to the great differences in the surfacespeed between the card cylinder and the licker-in. When using a 50-inchdiameter card, we have found that peripheral surface linear speeds offrom about 2350 feet per minute to 4050 feet per minute are suitable forthe main cylinder. The preferred peripheral linear speeds are from about2600 feet per minute to 3400 feet per minute with the most advantageousspeeds being between about 3070 feet per minute to 3270 feet per minute.

On this main cylinder over a local portion of its periphery is a chainof flats 19. The fiats are a little longer on both sides than thecylinder is wide. The parts of the flats that face the cylinder arecovered with fillet card clothing 20 or other suitable clothing in whichtrash and waste can become embedded. The clothing of the flats isgenerally finer than the clothing on the cylinder, and its teeth aremore tightly set. The fiats move in the direction shown. The flatsgenerally move at a rate of about 0.1 inch per minute to about 31/2inches per minute and preferably from about 11/2 inches per minute to 3inches per minute. The points of the clothing on the fiats almost touchthe main cylinder; exact distance varies but it is usually about 0.010inch. There are usually over a hundred fiats on a card, but less thanhalf of them are working with the cylinder at one time, as shown by thedrawing.

The flats while carding tend to load up with waste and fiy and aregenerally continuously stripped so that clean fiats are always doing thecarding operation. Hence the flats move very slowly in the directionshown and usually are continually stripped by a comb and brushoperation. However, in accordance with the present invention, when themain cylinder speed is increased, the comb and brush operation isremoved and the flats are allowed to load up with waste and fiy materialso that the wires are embedded in this waste material.

This is more clearly shown in the enlarged views, FIG. 4 and FIG. 5wherein the flats 20 are shown in plan view and cross-sectional viewrespectively. Flats filletclothed 23 comprises numerous bent wires 24embedded in a cloth foundation 26. Approximately midway between thepoint 25 of the wire and the foundation 26 the wire is bent, forming aknee 27. To impart carding action to fibers the wire is bent in thedirection as shown in FIG. 1, FIG. 2, and FIG. 3 as compared to thedirection of the metallic wire on the main cylinder. The wires on thefiats are embedded in fly and waste 28 preferably to about the bend inthe wire or knee portion or more. It appears that embedding the wireswith fly and minute waste particles causes the fibers being carded to beworked nearer the points of the fiats, allowing the cylinder to do abetter job of carding right down to the individual fibers. It may alsobe that some additional carding points are provided by the waste fiberembedded in the fiats. By allowing this waste material to build up inthe flats, all of the utilizable fibers are carried along by the maincylinder and form part of the final brous web greatly reducing the wasteof the card in limting this waste to what is really waste materialrather than good fiber.

Directly in front of the main cylinder is the dofiing cylinder 30.Construction of the dofhng cylinder resembles the main cylinder of thecard. The dofiing cylinder, however, is much smaller, the diametergenerally being about 27 inches. The dofiing cylinder like the maincylinder is covered with metallic card clothing 31. The teeth in thedofiiing cylinder clothing are coarscr and fewer teeth per square inchas compared to that of the main cylinder. Generally dofiing cylindershaving about 375 teeth per square inch have been found suitable for usein accordance with the present invention. The speed of the dofiingcyinder may vary from about 5 r.p.m. to 100 r.p.m., and preferably fromabout 10 r.p.m. to about 40 r.p.m. The fibers leave the main cylinderand settle on the dofiing cylinder clothing and form a fibrous web onthe dofiing cylinder. The fibrous web is removed from the doflingcylinder by a doffer comb 32 which resembles a fine saw. The comb has aslight oscillating or chopping motion; it vibrates very fast at about2000 strokes per minute on a very short motion. This movement removesthe fibrous web from the dofiing cylinder and also knocks or shakes outsome non-fibrous material. A doffer comb is shown in the drawings;however, roller type dofng mechanisms or other do'ing mechanisms mayalso be used.

The card web removed by the comb is rolled away by a pair of calenderrolls 35. Prior to passing through these rolls, the web W passes througha trumpet 34 and is condensed. From the calender rolls the sliver passesup and into the coiler bonnet 36 and finally into the sliver or rovingcan 37.

Generally, the calender rolls exert a low degree of draft on the sliverof about 1% to 5% to insure better control of the sliver.

As shown in FIG. 2, if desired after the brous web W has been formed asdescribed with regard to FIG. l, if trash particles and waste particlesremain in the web, the web may be passed through the trash crushingdevice 40. Generally, such a device comprises a pair of rolls 41 whichexert considerable pressure on the web and crushes the trash and wasteparticles in the web causing them to drop from the web into a collectingmeans 42 or be extracted in some subsequent operation. If desired, thesepressure rolls may be disposed at slight angles to one another so thateven greater pressures may be applied to the web to improve the crushingor trash removing action. l

In a tandem carding operation as shown in FIG. 3, the picker lap 50 isfed in the form of a fibrous sheet over a polished feed plate 51 andunder a fiuted feed roll 52 on to a licker-in S3 as previouslydescribed. The main cylinder 54 of the first or breaker card 55 takesthe fibers from the licker-in and cards them as described in conjunctionwith FIG. 1 and FIG. 2. The fibrous web is removed by a dofiing cylinder56 and the fibrous web taken from the dofiing cylinder by a doffing comb57 or other suitable mechanism, The fibrous web thus produced is fed toa second or finisher card 60 by passing the fibrous web over a feedplate 61 to a fiuted feed roll 62 onto a second licker-in 63 and then toa second carding operation as previously described in conjunction withFIG. 1 and FIG. 2. If desired, the web may be passed through a third ormore carding operations. The fibrous web is removed from the doingcylinder 64 by a doliing comb 65 or other suitable means andtriangularly converged to form a sliver which is slightly drafted, i.e.tension draft, by a pair of calender rolls 66 and placed in the slivercan 67.

When a tandem carding operation is used, it is preferred that thelicker-in cylinders rotate at a speed of from about 500 to 900 r.p.m.when using a 9 inch cylinder and preferably from about 650 to 750lr.p.m. with such a cylinder.

It is also preferred in the tandem carding operation that the maincylinders have increased peripheral linear speeds of from about 2350feet per minute to about 4050 feet per minute and preferably from about260() feet per minute to about 3400 feet per minute with the mostadvantageous speeds being between about 3070 feet per minute and 3270feet per minute. The revolving flats 70 have fillet card clothing 71 andcard the fibers on the main cylinder by having y and waste materialembedded in these fiats up to the knees of the wires and preferablyfurther as described in conjunction with FIG. 4 and FIG. 5. However, ifdesired, the fiats on one or more card cylinders may be operatedconventionally, i.e., by stripping the fibers from these fiatscontinually by using a comb and brush mechanism as is known in the art.However, one of the carding operations must be accomplished with fly andWaste particles embedded in the wires in order to obtain the advantagesof the present invention.

If desired the trash crushing roll may also be incorporated in a tandemcarding operation either after the first doff and comb operation or anysubsequent doff and comb operation or any combination of placesdepending upon the fibers being processed and the type of yarn desiredto be produced from the operation.

The invention will be further illustrated in greater detail by thefollowing examples. It should be understood, however, that althoughthese examples may describe in particular detail some of the morespecific features of the inventive concept, they are given primarily forpurposes of illustration, and the invention in its broader aspects isnot to be construed as limited thereto.

Example l The apparatus used in this example is illustrated in FIG. l.The picker lap weighs about 16 ounces per linear yard and is deliveredby the feed roll to the licker-in at a speed of about `6 inches perminute. The licker-in is 9 inches in diameter and is rotating ,at about680 r.p.m. The main cylinder is 50 inches in diameter and vis rotatingat 240 r.p.m. The revolving flats are fillet clothed and move in thedirection shown at a speed of about 2.6 inches per minute imparting thecarding action to the fibers on the main cylinder. No comb or brushmechanism is used and fibers and waste material are embedded in thewires of the fiats. The carded fibers are transferred to the dofiingcylinder which is 27 inches in diameter and is rotating at about 8r.p.m. The fibrous web is removed from the dofiing cylinder -by astandard doffing comb and the weight of this fibrous web is about 47grains per square yard. The web is drawn together in a typicaltriangularly converging form through a conventional condensing trumpetto a pair of calender rolls to form a substantially cylindrical sliver.The calender rolls have a peripheral surface linear speed of about 62feet per minute and the sliver processed therethrough has a weight ofabout 52 grains per linear yard. This is equivalent to a weightproduction of about l0 pounds per hour. The sliver is then drawnupwardly through the top cover of the conventional coiler and isdeposited in the usual coiling fashion in a coiler can.

The spinning of this silver to produce a 20s yarn produces a yarn ofsubstantially equal quality and uniformity to standard 20 yarns. Endsdown in spinning are substantially the same as normally encountered withsuch yarns using sliver produced by standard carding operations.Irregularities in the yarn and in the cloth made from the yarn are nomore noticeable than with standard yarns. There are no fiat stripsproduced from this card, and the amount of waste produced from this cardoperation is approximately 50% less than is normally produced in cardingoperations. The productivity of the card is increased approximately 2%.

Example II The apparatus used in this example is illustrated in FIG. 3of the drawings. The picker-lap weighs about 16 ounces per linear yarnand is fed at about 13.2 inches per minute to the uted feed roll and toa 9 inch diameter licker-in rotating at about 685 r.p.m. The maincylinder of the first or breaker card is 50 inches in diameter androtates at about 240 r.p.m. The main cylinder removes the fibers fromthe licker-in and as the cylinder passes the carding fiats the fibersare carded. No comb or brush mechanism to strip fibers from the flats isused. The flats are fillet card clothed and have fine minute wasteparticles embedded between the wires of the flats giving the cardingaction to the fibers on the main cylinder. The flats move in thedirection shown at the speed of about 2.6 inches per mintue. The fibersare transferred lto the dofting cylinder and the dofiing comb removesthe fibers from the first dofiing cylinder. The dofiing cylinder is 27inches in diameter and is rotating at about 13 r.p.m. The web removed is40 inches wide and weighs about 60 grains per linear yard. The web isfed to a second feed roll and on to a second licker-in having a 9 inchdiameter and rotating at about 685 r.p.m. The main cylinder of thesecond or finisher card is 50 inches in diameter and is rotating at 240r.p.m. The revolving fiats move at about 2.6 inches per minute and havefillet card clothing and fine minute waste particles embedded betweenthe points of the clothing to improve carding action. No comb or brushmechanism is used to strip fibers from these iats.

Fibers are transferred to the second doffing cylinder which is 27 inchesin diameter and is rotating at l5 r.p.m. The fibers are removed fromthis second dofiing cylinder in the form of a fibrous web weighing about47 grains per square yard by means of a dofiing comb. The fibrous web isthen drawn together in typical triangular converging form through aconventional condensing trumpet and a pair of calender rolls to form asubstantially cylindrical sliver. The calender rolls have a perpipheralsurface linear velocity of about 14S feet per minute, and the sliverprocessed therethrough has a weight of about 52 grains per linear yard.This is equivalent to a weight production rate of about 22 pounds perhour. The fibers are then drawn upwardly through the top cover of aconventional coiler and is deposited in the usual coiling fashion in acoiler can. The spinning of this fiber produces yarn of good quality anduniformity with excellent breaking strength. Ends down in spinning aresubstantially fewer than normally encountered with standard singlecarding and about the same as encountered with tandem carding. Trashparticles in the yarn are not significantly different than with standardcarding particles. Furthermore, no fiat strips are formed in thiscarding operation thus reducing the total waste from the cardingoperation 50% and improving production of the double carding operation 2to 3%.

Although several specific examples of the inventive concept have beendescribed the same should not be construed as limited thereby nor to thespecific features mentioned therein but to include various otherequivalent features as set forth in the claims appended hereto. It isunderstood that any suitable changes, modifications and variations maybe made without departing from the spirit I" and the scope of theinvention.

It is to be appreciated that the advantages obtained with the presentinvention will vary and will depend to a large extent on the grade offiber being processed, production rate and the coarseness or size of theyarn to be produced. The single carding operation appears to havegreater advantages when producing coarser yarns, i.e., 20s yarn and thetandem operation appears to have greater advantages in producing fineryarns, i.e., 30s yarn or finer.

Although no motors, pulleys, belts, gears or like mechanical means havebeen illustrated in the drawings or described in the specification fordriving the various rotating cylinders and rolls in the desired orrequired speeds or with the rotation indicated by their direct arrows,it i is to be appreciated that such elements have been omitted to keepthe description short and to avoid the introduction of matter for whichthere are well-known expedients in the art. The mechanical driving meanswhich are used are conventional and merely involve the application of twell-known mechanical driving principles.

What is claimed is:

1. An improved process of carding textile fibers com prising: feedingthe fibers to be carded to a rotatable metallic clothed carding surfacemoving at a linear speed of from about 2350 feet per mintue to 4050 feetper minute, imparting carding action to the fibers on said rotatablecarding surface by fiats covered with wire clothing whereby fiat stripsare produced in said flats, said fiats moving in the same direction assaid rotatable carding surface and at a linear speed of from 0.1 inchper minute to 3.5 inches per minute, embedding said fiat strips betweenthe wires of each fiat, at least from the base up to the mid-portionthereof, said flat strips being so embedded in each fiat throughout theentire process and removing the thus carded fibers in a uniform, looseweb from said rotatable carding surface.

2. An improved process of carding textile fibers comprising: feeding thefibers to be carded to a rotatable metallic-clothed carding surfacemoving at a linear speed of from about 2350 feet per minute to 4050 feetper minute, imparting carding action to the fibers on said rotatablecarding surface by fiats covered with fillet card clothing whereby fiatstrips are produced in said fiats, the wires of said clothing being bentto impart said carding action to the fibers while on said rotatablecarding surface, said fiats moving in the same direction as saidrotatable carding surface and at a linear speed of from about 1.5 inchesper minute to 3 inches per minute, embedding said fiat strips betweenthe wires of each fiat, at least from the base up to the mid-portionthereof, said fiat strips being so embedded in each fiat throughout theentire process and removing the thus carded fibers in a uniform, looseweb from said rotatable carding surface.

3. In a process of tandem carding textile fibers which comprises feedingfibers to be carded to a rotatable metallic-clothed carding surface,imparting carding action to the fibers on said rotatable carding surfaceby carding fiats whereby fiat strips are produced in said fiats,transferring said carded fibers to a second rotatable metallicclothedcarding surface, imparting carding action to the fibers on said secondrotatable carding surface by carding fiats whereby fiat strips areproduced in said fiats and removing the thus carded fibers in a uniform,loose web from said second rotatable carding surface; the improvementwhich comprises: rotating at least one of said rotatablemetallic-clothed carding surfaces at a linear speed of from about 2350feet per minute to 4050 feet per minute while simultaneously impartingcarding action to the fibers on said rotatable carding surface bywire-clothed fiats, said fiats moving in the same direction as saidrotatable carding surfaces and at a speed of 0.1 inch per minute to 3.5inches per minute, embedding said fiat strips between the wires of eachfiat, at least from the base up to the mid-portion thereof, said fiatstrips being so embedded in each fiat throughout the entire process.

4. A process of double carding comprising: feeding staple bers to becarded to a rotatable surface having a linear speed of from about 1060feet per minute to 2120 feet per minute, transferring said fibers fromsaid rotatable surface to a first rotatable metallic-clothed cardingsurface having a linear speed of from about 2600 feet per minute to 3400feet per minute, imparting carding action to the fibers on saidrotatable carding surface by fiats covered with fillet card clothingwhereby fiat strips are produced in said fiats, the wires of saidclothing being bent to irnpart said carding action to the fibers whileon said rotatable carding surface, embedding said flat strips betweenthe wires of each fiat, at least from the base up to the midportionthereof, said fiat strips being so embedded in each fiat throughout theentire process, said fiats moving in the same direction as saidrotatable carding surface and at a linear speed of from about 11/2inches per minute to 3 inches per minute, transferring the fibers to afirst rotatable dofiing surface to form a uniform, loose web on saiddofiing surface, removing the uniform, loose web from said dofiingsurface with a vibratory motion whereby trash and waste particles areremoved from the web, applying pressure to the web to crush trash andwaste particles, feeding the web to a second rotatable metallicclothedcarding surface rotating at a linear speed of from about 2600 feet perminute to 3400 feet per minute whereby fibers in the web areindividualized, imparting carding action to the fibers on said secondrotatable carding surface by fiats covered with fillet card clothingwhereby fiat strips are produced in said fiats, the wires of saidclothing being bent to impart said carding action to the fibers while onsaid rotatable carding surface, embedding said fiat strips between thewires of each fiat, at least from the base up to the mid-portionthereof, said fiat strips being so embedded in each fiat throughout theentire process, said flats moving in the same direction as said secondrotatable carding surface and at a linear speed of from about 11/2inches per minute to 3 inches per minute, and dofiing References CedUNITED STATES PATENTS 3,066,358 12/1962 schiess 19*1o6 X 5 7/1963 Alston19-98 5/1887 Descards 19-104 Platt et al. 19--102 Litty 19-98 Varga19-98 Varga 19-98 X DORSEY NEWTON, Primary Examiner.

